[spectre] CAE : More benefits and donations needed

[Ewen Chardronnet]

PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY

April 13, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: mailto:auction at caedefensefund.org

MASSIVE ART AUCTION WILL SUPPORT INDICTED ARTIST
STEVEN KURTZ AS BIOTERRORISM CHARGE THREAT RETURNS
More benefits and donations needed

An April 17 benefit auction at Paula Cooper Gallery in
NYC has attracted donations from some of the biggest names in
the contemporary art world, including Hans Haacke, Richard
Serra, Cindy Sherman, Martha Rosler, Sol LeWitt, Ruben
Ortiz Torres, Kiki Smith, Lorna Simpson, Chris Burden,
and many others. (See details at bottom or at
http://www.caedefensefund.org/auction/PaulaCooperGallery.html.) 
<http://www.caedefensefund.org/auction/PaulaCooperGallery.html.%29>

Organizers of this Sunday's auction expect to raise at
least a six-figure sum to help artist Steven Kurtz and
scientist Robert Ferrell defend themselves against
politically-motivated federal charges of mail and wire
fraud--and, it now seems likely, bioterrorism charges
as well.

If convicted of the wire and mail fraud charges,
Kurtz, a founding member of the Critical Art Ensemble
(CAE) and Professor of Art at the University of
Buffalo, and Ferrell, a Professor of Human Genetics at
the University of Pittsburgh, could face up to 20
years in prison.

But worse is possible. On March 17, Steven Barnes,
also a founding member of the Critical Art Ensemble,
was served a subpoena to appear before a Federal Grand
Jury in Buffalo on April 19. According to the
subpoena, the FBI is once again seeking charges under
Section 175 of the US Biological Weapons
Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, as expanded by
the USA PATRIOT Act--charges which a previous Grand
Jury appeared to reject when they handed down
indictments of mail and wire fraud last summer. (See
http://www.caedefensefund.org for full details.)

The addition of bioterrorism charges will add to the
heavy financial and emotional burden of the
defendants. But the rising cost to taxpayers is
significant too. Although the New York State
Department of Health quickly deemed that the materials
used by Kurtz in his art posed no threat to public
health or safety, and the FBI's own field and
laboratory tests showed that they were not used for
any illegal purpose, the U.S. District Attorney
continues to waste vast sums of public money
prosecuting this outlandish, politically motivated
case.

Since June 2004, public events in support of the CAE
Defense Fund in the US, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Latin
America and Australia, as well as thousands of
individual contributions, have met the rising defense
costs. But as the case moves to trial, Kurtz and
Ferrell's expenses will increase dramatically, and
more fundraisers and donations will be needed. The
April 17 auction organizers hope the auction will serve
as a spur for people worldwide to organize new benefit
events and contribute to the fund. Please visit
http://caedefensefund.org for more information about
how you can help publicize this auction, organize your
own event, donate funds, or otherwise help support
Kurtz and Ferrell in this exceedingly important case
that could widely impact freedom of expression and
more in the US.

AUCTION DETAILS:

When: Sunday, April 17, 2005 (viewing and silent
auction 2-8pm, live auction 5-7pm)

Where: Paula Cooper Gallery, 521 West 21st Street, NYC
10011, tel: 212-255-1105 / day of auction:
212-255-5247

Master of Ceremonies: Wallace Shawn

Artists who have donated work: Acconci Studio, Dennis
Adams, Carl Andre, The Atlas Group, Nayland Blake, Mel
Bochner, Cecily Brown, Chris Burden, Paul Chan, Jeremy
Deller, Mark Dion, Sam Durant, Tony Feher, Andrea
Fraser, Joseph Grigely, Hans Haacke, Ann Hamilton,
Rachel Harrison, Emily Jacir, Mike Kelley, Barbara
Kruger, William Pope L., Louise Lawler, Zoe Leonard, Sol LeWitt, Glenn
Ligon, Sharon Lockhart, Brice Marden, Allan McCollum,
Julie Mehretu, Arnold Mesches, Donald Moffett, Dave
Muller, Vik Muniz, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara,
Cathy Opie, RubÎn Ortiz Torres, Laura Owens, David
Reed, Alexis Rockman, Martha Rosler, Christy Rupp,
Carolee Schneemann, Richard Serra, Cindy Sherman, Amy
Sillman, Lorna Simpson, Kiki Smith, Janaina Tschape,
and many more.

To view some of the donated art works, please visit:
http://www.caedefensefund.org/auction/PaulaCooperGallery.html

This benefit is sponsored by the National Association
of Artists' Organizations (NAAO) and Hallwalls
Contemporary Arts Center (Buffalo), and is supported
by galleries across the US.

For more information please contact Lori at Paula
Cooper Gallery, or visit http://caedefensefund.org.
Press inquiries may be directed to
mailto:auction at caedefensefund.org.